Prospect Watch: DE Derek Barnett

Last season, the Bucs pass rush was decent as they were 9th in the league with 38 sacks on the season. The Bucs had a decent edge rush with Noah Spence, Robert Ayers, and Will Gholston whom all had their moments during the season. The Bucs were without one of their better edge guys in Jack Smith who missed the entire season with an knee injury and has had trouble staying healthy recently. Point is the Bucs could use another edge rusher that can impact the game and help the Bucs get after the QB more consistently especially in the tough NFC South. This years draft is loaded with edge rushers and wanted to talk about one of the more productive edge guys in this class which is Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett.

Derek Barnett- DE 6'3 259lbs 56 tackles, 19 TFL, 13 sacks

Strengths: Barnett was outstanding during his 3 years with the Tennessee Volunteers in which he produced 198 tackles, 52 for loss, and 33 sacks. Barnett provides a physical presence on the edge and is very good against the run. Opponents would usually run away from his side making him chase the play. Barnett uses his hands well to disengage blocks and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. As a pass rusher he can really bend the edge as he does a great job of using his strength and getting low in his lean around the corner. Barnett has excellent balance and displays good pad level consistently.

Weaknesses:  Barnett needs to focus on adding a second pass rush move as he heavily relied on winning from the outside. He can get away with that in college but it is much harder to do against legit NFL offensive tackles. He uses a decent inside step rip move which allowed him to have some success when rushing inside but it wasn't very consistent. He would be wise to add a inside spin move which could help him set up his outside rush, making him a more efficient pass rusher. If Barnett had great speed and was more athletic he could be just fine with the outside rush but he doesn't process that quick twitch off the edge. Tendency to jumping off-sides due to trying to time the snap count. Struggles to redirect movements, and can at times get pushed out too wide.

Overall: Barnett is one of the solid players in this draft and could go as high as 8th overall to the Panthers. Barnett has tremendous production, has high character, great work ethic, and already has good fundamentals to work with. His game reminds me of Robert Ayers who doesn't win with speed but has good balance and technique to win the edge and is excellent in the run game. If Barnett can hone in on adding more to his pass rush arsenal, he could be something special in this league. I think he would be excellent fit for the Bucs defense, and can line up at right or left end depending on matchups. Teams can never have enough edge rushers, and the Bucs could certainly use one like Barnett. Personally, I like other edge rushers that can bring more speed like Carl Lawson and Charles Harris that would be better fits with the Bucs personnel in place already. With that being said, if Barnett is available at 19, Im sure the Bucs will consider him with the pick.

Prospect Watch: DE Charles Harris

So far most Bucs fans are expecting the team to go offense in round 1 of the draft, but what about going defense again for a second straight year. I think most would agree that the team could use more pieces on that side of the ball starting with S, DE, and DT as the main needs. Unfortunately for the Bucs the top two safety prospects will likely be gone before 19, but that is ok as this draft is full with quality safety prospects that will be available till day 3 of the draft.

However, there will be some talanted edge rushers available at 19, and with this being a passing league teams can always add more pass rushers. The Bucs D-line is pretty good already with Noah Spence, Robert Ayers, Gerald McCoy, plus Clinton Mccdonald, and hopeful return of Jack Smith which gives the team potential of being one of the most feared front fours in the league. With that being said, Smith hasn't been able to stay healthy and Ayers is over 30 and the team would like to play him inside more often.

So that brings me to one player that has been linked to the Bucs in mock drafts, and that is Missouri's DE Charles Harris. Harris is one of the pure edge rushers in this draft, combining for 16 sacks over the last two seasons. Former scout and NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah had good things to say about Harris and feels him and Spence would take the Bucs D to the next level.

“The Bucs hit a home run with the selection of Noah Spence in the 2016 draft,” Jeremiah wrote. “Harris would give them another fastball coming off the edge, taking their defense to another level.”

DE Charles Harris- 6'3 255lbs  61 tackles, 9 sacks, 10 hurries, 12 TFL

Strengths: Harris just knows how to rush the passer and seems to come alive as a player when it is a passing situation. Harris has multiple rush moves at his disposal including a inside spin along with a outside rip that is very potent. Plus he uses a stutter-step bull rush that is effective getting tackles off their spot and keeping them off balance. Harris doesn't have a explosive first step but is quick enough and has a non stop motor in which he is always flying to the ball. Harris understands how to convert speed to power and does it pretty well.

Weaknesses: Similar to Noah Spence, He can get lost in the run game and loose track of the football. He needs to become more consistent with his hands in his pass rush, would like to see more violent approach to create separation. Can be better at point of attack.

Overall, Harris would give the Bucs a deadly edge rush combo between him and Spence as that would be tons of speed off the edge to deal with. From a Bucs perspective it makes a lot of sense as it is key to get after the passer especially in the NFC South which has Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, and Cam Newton. Is Harris a top 20 player? I would say as of now he is as he is getting better every year and only has 5 years of football experience as he started playing football as a junior in high school. I think with Jay Hayes coaching him up and learning from guys like Spence, Ayers, and McCoy, Harris could be one of the special talents from this draft. So do the Bucs go defense again? Charles Harris could be a likely candidate at 19.

There is No Tomorrow!

Today is it for the Bucs as they have to win against the Saints if they want a shot at the playoffs. The team is coming off a tough loss against the Cowboys in which they didn't bring their best but still had a shot to win the game. That can't happen today as the Bucs need to bring their best and play their best game of the season. Jameis says today is do or die as the playoffs start now for them against the Saints.

“Absolutely and we start on the road. We know that we’re going to be on the road in a tough environment against the Saints, so yeah, it starts now. We’ve got to start preparing for the show.”

All three phrases as in offense, defense, and special teams need to help each other and play physical, smart Bucs football. Be aggressive and don't let off the pedal, run the football with authority and use play action as much as possible for Jameis Winston who is at his best in play action throws. The offensive line needs to man up and come to play today. Coach Koetter needs to creative but also simplistic in the redzone, use more fades and slants inside the 20.

As for the defense, the front four just needs to win their one on ones and get after Drew Brees. Attack them, dont defend them be aggressive and jump routes all day. The defense has been really good lately and needs an awesome performance today. Gerald McCoy, Noah Spence, Robert Ayers, Kwon Alexander, and Lavonte David all need to step up today and be star performers. Now for special teams just make good kicks and please have a big return as we could use one today. There is no tomorrow and let's hope the Bucs come out and play like it.

Spence Continues to Get Better Every Week

Lately, the Bucs pass rush has been coming on strong as they have 10 sacks over the last three games with 6 coming in their last game against Seattle. With Robert Ayers and Clinton Mcdonald back, the Bucs finally have a complete unit across the defensive line which has been causing havoc lately. However, one player has raise their game dramatically and that is rookie DE Noah Spence. He has 5.5 sacks on the year, and ever since the Panthers game he has improved every week. His run defense has been significantly better as he is holding his contain and making plays in the backfield. This last game against the Seahawks was probably his best game as he had 5 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an forced fumble.

Spence is getting more confidence with each week, and now knows he can get to the Qb which has been showing on the field with his recent surge in play. Spence is showing that he was a top ten talent going into the draft as not many rushers have his speed and athletic ability off the edge. For the Bucs to get him in the second round might be Jason Licht's next greatest steal alongside Kwon Alexander. The scary part is Spence is playing through pain with a bad shoulder and is doing this while not being 100 percent. Fellow teammate Kwon Alexander said Spence is on a mission to get double digit sacks this season and with the way he is playing right now it is doable. With Spence doing this well as a rookie is great news for the future of the Bucs defense and should be one of the top sack guys in the league throughout his career if healthy. Watch these quick hands by Noah Spence below, speed kills!

Noah got some violent hands, he just drives right under the tackle here. If he dips a little more he probab... https://t.co/BoVBr49gvZ

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) November 30, 2016

Bucs Punch Seahawks in the Mouth

I can't remember the last time the Bucs got a key win at Raymond James Stadium until yesterday as the team manhandled the Seattle Seahawks. Something has changed with this team as few weeks back, fans including myself were starting to talk about the draft. Now fans are talking playoffs yes playoffs, and for good reason as the Bucs have won three straight including wins over contenders in the Chiefs and Seahawks. This team is hitting their stride as they are playing complimentary football as each unit is helping each other and they have now put together three complete games together.

However let's get back to yesterday's win against a very good Seahawks team whom the Bucs literally punched in the mouth the whole game. The defense stoled the show as they were outstanding from start to finish and played with an fire in their eyes the whole game. I said the D-Line needed to take over the game for the Bucs to beat Seattle and not only did they took over they dominated as they looked like the Bucs defenses from the glory days. 

The Seahawks had no answers for our front four especially rookie DE Noah Spence who was in the backfield most of the night collecting 5 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Spence has been picking up steam since the Panthers game and continues to get better with each game. Gerald McCoy was outstanding as well getting a big sack late in the 4th quarter and was setting up sacks for Ryan Russell who did a great job working with McCoy on the stunt pass rush game. The Bucs defense had 6 sacks, two interceptions, and one fumble recovery, they pretty much out physical the Seahawks offense and were suffocating throughout the game. The defense held the Seahawks to 1 of 11 on third down and held them to three points which had many fans saying what is happening right now. Defense has returned to Tampa and it felt awesome to witness it as the Bucs got a huge win at Ray Jay.

Let's not forget about the offense as they started the fire, scoring on the opening drive as Jameis was precise and the Bucs were up 7-0. Then the Bucs get the ball right back and score again with a beautiful deep ball to Mike Evans and all of sudden the Bucs are up 14-0. That was the game as the offense didn't score after that but they did enough for the win. Jameis was outstanding again going 21-28 for 220yds and 2 tds along with a qb rating over 100. Martin is getting closer to his 2015 form as he had 23 carries for 87 yards, and as always Mike Evans was stellar again with two tds.

With the Bucs at 6-5, they are one game back of Atlanta for the division crown and are currently in the 7th spot just outside of the last wildcard spot. Is this team a playoff team? Going off these last three games sure looks like one to me. This team has momentum right now and are playing for each other and just seem to be having fun out there. Let's keep it going against the Chargers this Sunday and get to 7-5!

First pass attempt of the game and watch McCoy and Spence's get offs. Both fly to the Qb and meet in the mi... https://t.co/eCBGb20wz9

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) November 28, 2016

Time For The D-Line to Take Over

Tomorrow is an huge game for the Bucs as the team needs to keep winning if they want meaningful games in December. The Bucs are coming into this matchup with an two game winning streak and have played their best ball these last two weeks. The Seahawks are legit super bowl contenders and are probably one of the more complete teams we are going to face all year. Looking at the Seahawks offense, most would say their offensive line is their weakness as they don't have much of an running game and Wilson faces constant pressure. However, they don't give up a lot of sacks as Wilson has great escape ability with his legs and the ability to make something out of nothing.

This is why the Bucs need their front four to have their best game of the season by being in the face of Russell Wilson constantly. The DE's need to keep contain along with the interior lineman getting push up the middle to force Wilson to back up which will allow the ends to get the sacks from the outside. It's time for this unit to take over, the talent is there and now they got to put it all together tomorrow. Gerald McCoy, Robert Ayers, Noah Spence, William Gholston all need to be at their best and make Wilson to force some throws which will hopefully lead to interceptions. Usually when the Bucs D-line is getting consistent pressure the team usually does well so lets hope that happens tomorrow at 4pm.

Bucs Getting Healthy at the Right Time

Usually at this time of the year most teams are beat up and are missing key pieces throughout their roster due to injuries. However for the Bucs, it seems they are getting healthy at the right time as they are starting to get close to being at full strength. They finally have their key guys back along the defensive line with Ayers, McCoy, and Mcdonald plus Noah Spence has been getting better each week. The offensive line and the running back position is going to be close to full strength for these final 6 game stretch as we are going to find out what this team is made of. With the Seahawks coming into town, the Bucs might be getting Kevin Pamphile and possibly Jacquizz Rodgers back this week which would be huge for the offense.

Bucs coach Dirk Koetter definitely left door open for RB Jacquizz Rodgers to return to practice Wednesday from foot injury ...

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) November 21, 2016

Not only would Rodgers returning be huge but getting back Pamphile too to help the O-line which probably had their best game against the Chiefs would be a big boost. With Martin and Rodgers along with Barber that would give the Bucs great depth at the RB position plus allow the Bucs to be more creative with their run and screen game. This team is starting to get back to full strength and Jason Licht and his staff have done a great job of adding depth throughout the season. If this team can continue to get better they have a chance to make these final 6 games very interesting. Hopefully they can continue to stay healthy down the final stretch.

Bucs Finally Win at Ray-Jay!

This must be a joke or something but did the Bucs actually win an home game yesterday against the Chicago Bears? The answer is yes, the Bucs got an much needed victory at Ray-Jay defeating the Bears by the score of 36-10. The defense came to play as they played an more aggressive style which caused trouble for the Bears offense throughout the game. The Bucs defense forced 4 turnovers including a pick 6 by S Chris Conte which got the Bucs ahead early and they didn't look back from there.

The front seven was doing a good job with their pressures causing Bears Qb Jay Cutler to hurried his throws which lead to 2 interceptions and an redzone fumble. Bucs rookie DE Noah Spence was probably the best player on the defense yesterday as he was consistently getting into the backfield and had an huge strip sack to start the second quarter. It was great pursuit by Spence as he came all the way around from the other side of the field and got Cutler from behind. Here is the play below via @DLineVids.

#Buckeyes/#Colonels alum Noah Spence of the #Bucs @nspence94 doesn't quit pursuing QB. Ends up with a sack/fumble💰 pic.twitter.com/WWWHdgVYXr

— DLineVids (@DLineVids) November 13, 2016

The Defense wasn't perfect as they did allow some yards in the run game and the only Bears touchdown was on a hail mary at the end of the first half which just can't happen. Overall it was good day for the defense as they had 4 takeaways, 4 sacks and only allowed 10 points. However, here is the best stat via Scott Smith of Fox.

#Bucs held the #Bears to 68 yards in the 2nd half... and 56 of that came on Chicago's final garbage time possession... so... really... 12yds

— Scott Smith (@ScottSmithTV) November 13, 2016

That is good to see and hopefully the defense can stay healthy the rest of the season and build on this performance and continue to improve. Now to the offense which had a very slow start to this game as they couldn't get anything going in the first quarter. The offensive line was struggling as there were two rookies playing due to injuries and both tackles were struggling to block their man. The Bears defense did a good job of taking the run game away and keeping Mike Evans in check.

The good news for the Bucs offense was that Jameis Winston played outstanding as he spread the ball around to 9 different players going 23-33 for 312 yards and 2 tds. With Evans being heavily guarded, Winston targeted TE Cameron Brate who had a big day with 7 receptions for 84 yards and 1 td. The offense controlled the clock and found ways to move the chains and pulled away in the second half. Running Back Doug Martin made his return and found the endzone which was good to see. Martin's presence is huge for this offense and hopefully he can get on a roll here to finish the season strong. It was a much needed win for this team and now are 4-5 as they now go back on the road to take on the 7-2 Kansas City Chiefs.

What's with the Gerald McCoy Hate?

Tired of the McCoy haters out there and I'm here to step up for him. McCoy has done nothing but be a silent producer and leader for this Bucs football team ever since he was drafted here in 2010. This year he already has 3 sacks in 6 games and plenty more pressures but he still get called out for not doing enough. His 3 sacks is tied for the team lead with rookie Noah Spence and he missed one game. On every play McCoy will usually get double and even sometimes triple teamed but for bucs fans that's not enough. It also doesn't matter that he has been on the NFL top 100 that is voted by players to say who is the best. He was number 63 last year and the year before that he was 28. He still is one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the league and he needs to be recognized as that. Here are a flew clips of his pressures against the Raiders from Sunday.

McCoy gets in and even hits Carr on this throw. Then Crabtree shoves Grimes in the back but somehow the ref... https://t.co/gKXf6Mglmh

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) November 1, 2016

Love this play. McCoy flys in and Spence reads the play and gets to the spot and stalls the play enough to ... https://t.co/qCfhDxElfv

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) November 1, 2016

Watch 93 McCoy beat his man then get tackled from behind but no flag? McDougald still makes a great play on... https://t.co/K8UegyY2cZ

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) November 1, 2016

McCoy makes a difference in every play he is in, he may not be the guy getting the sack or making the tackle but you better believe that other team was shadowing him more than the guy who did make the play. He is one of the rare players on our defense that coaches have to take notice and game plan for. Rookie Noah Spence is benefiting from him not the other way around. Looking at the rest of the NFL the leading DT in sacks is Leonard Williams with 6 and he plays more of a 3-4 hybrid. The next man after him has 4 and that the Eagles Fletcher Cox who just got a huge contract of his own. So if you look at McCoys 3 sacks and he actually missed one game, then hes right there in the mix. Bucs fans need to start respecting what they have instead of crying about what they don't.

Key Matchups For Sunday

Tomorrow's game is an big opportunity for the Bucs as they can get above 500 and get one step closer to first place in the division. Their opponent the Oakland Raiders are coming to Tampa with an record of 5-2 and have probably one of the better offenses in the league. With that being said, lets take a look at the critical matchups in this game that we feel the Bucs must win if they want to win the game at Ray Jay tomorrow.

1. Bucs D-Line vs Raiders O-line

The Bucs defensive line has a big task ahead of them tomorrow against the big Raiders offensive line whom have done a great job protecting Qb Derek Carr. Carr has been sacked only seven times and hit 15 times this season. The good news for the Bucs is that DE Robert Ayers is coming back giving the Bucs more depth up front. Look for the Bucs to move Ayers and Spence around a lot to give the Raiders different looks. Gerald McCoy has been a beast all season along with Will Gholston and that must continue tomorrow for the Bucs defense to be successful. Bucs D-line has to get pressure on Carr which should create opportunities for interceptions.

2. Mike Evans vs Raiders Secondary

Evans has been sensational this season and that must continue for the Bucs offense to be successful. Evans has a great opportunity to have a big game this week going against a secondary that has been giving up over 300 yards in the air per game. Evans will be going against Sean Smith and David Amerson whom both are bigger corners but at the same time lack speed which is something the Bucs must take advantage of. Expect the Bucs to move Evans around like they did against the 49ers and hopefully can create some big plays down the field.

3. Vernon Hargreaves vs Amari Cooper

This is the matchup everyone is talking about and it should be a great one to watch. Cooper is an excellent route runner and is very creative. Hargreaves and Cooper have gone against each other in college so familiarity is there between the two. The Bucs need Hargreaves to contain Cooper and not let him make the big play downfield. Hopefully if the d-line is doing their part, then Hargreaves will have an easier time containing Cooper.

Noah Spence Getting Better

The Bucs 2nd round pick and hopefully soon to be pass rush specialist is slowly getting better with every game. Spence has really impressed me already as he played against the Panthers with practically one arm as he dislocated his shoulder the week before. Looking at his 49er game tape he continues to show that he is growing as a player and getting more confident. Below you can see his QB pressures and finally his sack that ended the game.

Bucs send Kwon and David to blitz but it's the edge speed of Spence and Jones that pushes Kaepernick inside... https://t.co/QzWPfiBRrn

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 24, 2016

Noah Spence with a good pressure and Hughes can't disengage to make the sack, instead Kap throws for the TD. https://t.co/msBuPyxkCx

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 24, 2016

Noah Spence continues to flash. Getting pressure and hands on Kap that almost causes Hargreaves first NFL p... https://t.co/jY5HJbJyOT

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 25, 2016

Nice inside move here by Noah Spence to get his 2nd career sack. He tried different techniques later in thi... https://t.co/agFgZ67XRA

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 25, 2016

Spence is developing nicely. He began to show more confidence and reached into his tool box and tried different pass rush moves late in the game. He tried a spin move and his inside rush which ended in his sack. Whenever we get a lead he will be at his best which is flying around the corner getting after the QB. His motor is non stop and he may still need work against the run but he is improving with every game and finally getting more playing time. Keep it up Spence we need you!

Defense is Coming Around

The last two games the Bucs have won have been mainly due to the offense taking better care of the football, but more importantly the improved play of the defense. The defense had it's growing pains early on during the first few games but it looks like the switch has been turn on as players look more comfortable in the new scheme. It started with the Broncos game in which the defense had probably their best first half of the season as they were making plays and getting pressure up front.

One key move the coaching staff made was put rookie CB Vernon Hargreaves on the outside and let him go against the opposing top receiver. Hargreaves has been outstanding since being move to the starting role as he has been excellent in coverage and stout against the run. Him and Grimes have been a steady combo along with Jude Adjei-Barimah holding the nickel position down as well. The Safties are playing much better as well especially Bradley Mcdougald who has been a force in run support.

The defensive line is starting to get healthy with McCoy back along with Ayers and Mcdonald on the way back. In addition, the Bucs are getting great play out of their 2013 picks in Will Gholston and Akeem Spence whom both have been very consistent throughout the season so far. Most could make a case that Gholston has been the Bucs best d-lineman this year as he had a big sack yesterday against the 49ers. Plus rookie Noah Spence is coming around as he probably had his best game yesterday in which he applied consistent pressure and showed his edge rush potential.

Nice inside move here by Noah Spence to get his 2nd career sack. He tried different techniques later in thi... https://t.co/agFgZ67XRA

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 25, 2016

Overall, the defense is coming around and are heading in the right direction. The unit is holding opposing Quarterbacks under 60% completion percentage with an 58.3% which is major improvement from last year's percentage of 70%. Third down defense has been really good as opposing offenses are converting only 32.9% of the time which is very good and only the Dolphins are better at 31%. This defense is getting healthy at the right time and continues to get better each week. They are going to have to be at their best against an good offense in the Oakland Raiders this Sunday.

First Semester Is Over For Buccaneers Draft Picks. How Did They Grade?

by Douglas O'Connor
follow on Twitter @Ren_Daxt

     There was plenty of opinions on how the Buccaneers 2016 draft went. Claims that the Bucs had found 4 new starters, if you count a kicker as a starter. To cries calling for Jason Licht's head for drafting a Kicker in the 2nd round. I'm going to recap each pick and assign it a letter grade based on where the player was taken and how they have impacted the the team.

Vernon Hargreaves: Touted as the best cover corner in the draft, fell to the Bucs when they moved down 2 spots from 9 the the 11th pick. Hargreaves was inserted as the starting nickle back during training camp while playing the outside on the 2nd team. During the preseason Vernon was grading out as the best corner in the league, due mostly to a 2 interception game against the Jaguars. Only a few games into the season and VH3 has moved to a starting outside corner spot. Essentially benching Alterraun Verner and his $6.7 million contract. He's 4th on the team with 23 TOT and caused an interception on Monday night, deflecting a ball into the air that LB Daryl Smith circled under to complete the turnover.
My Grade: I'm giving Hargreaves an A. Besides all the reasons mentioned above there is no other position in the NFL that is a harder transition from college to the pro's, besides quarterback, than corner. Recently Head Coach gave Vernon high praise, when he mentioned that Hargreaves was low maintenance. Translation, you can treat  him like a veteran. He knows his assignment, he's where he's supposed to be in the defense, you don't have to hold his hand.

Noah Spence: Considered the best pure pass rushing defensive end in the draft and was linked to the Bucs with their 1st pick, early in mock drafts. Taken in the 2nd round as an answer to the Buccaneers decade drought of not having a 10+ sack man. Noah was praised for having great hands and an array of rush moves during training camp. His edge speed is undeniable, but fans quickly learned that he is to small to stand up against the run. Even with all the injuries along the defensive line Spence is still being used as a situational pass rusher.
My Grade: Noah earns a B. You may think this is a little generous but he does have one sack, one off the team lead. If that's still isn't enough to convince you checkout this clip. Spence is at the top of the screen.
  

Noah Spence here with a nice swim move getting pressure. If he holds it 1/2 a second longer he's on the gro... https://t.co/gZinztOiWO

— realbucstalk (@realbucstalk) October 16, 2016

He's going to be special.

Roberto Aguayo: Regarded as the best kicker, well ever. The Bucs gave up their 3rd round pick and the 4th rounder that the acquired in the Giants trade to move up and take this once in a generation kicker. The Bucs let loose of all his competition before training camp. Aguayo couldn't lose his job unless his leg fell off. That didn't keep him from trying though.
My Grade: D. The game winner against Carolina on Monday night saved Roberto from a failing grade. Actually I like the pick of Aguayo, but he has to kick for the Bucs for the next 10 years to ever grade out as an A draft pick.

Ryan Smith: Picked in the 4th round from North Carolina Central University. Brought into play safety even though he played corner back in college. A broken hand in the preseason has slowed Smith's progress. Mike Smith is bringing him along slowly in hopes that he's ready to go if the injury bug bites.
My Grade: C. Hard to give him a grade due to the lack of playing time. It is a bit concerning that he isn't getting any snaps at the position that is easily to worst on the team. On the plus side Ryan does return kickoffs for the Bucs and not a skill everyone possesses.

Caleb Benenoch: 5th round pick Benenoch came out his junior year when most draft experts thought he would improve his stock with another year at UCLA. There is some obscure NCAA rule about being in school and practicing with an NFL team. It's only a problem if your university grade on a trimester system. Guess which system UCLA uses? Due to this Caleb missed OTA's and fell behind.
My Grade: B. Caleb got a slow start but did make the team at the deepest position on the team. He also can play all 3 line positions and has been active for every game.

Devante Bond: Was all primed to have a breakout senior year at the University of Oklahoma. An ankle injury derailed most of his senior season but the Bucs found him and drafted Devante in the 6th round. Bond was drafted to take over for bridge free agent signee Daryl Smith once he learns the SAM LB position. Bond was put on IR with a hamstring injury and might return later this year.
My Grade: Incomplete. Bond could be the starting strong side linebacker next year or he could be on the street. Time will tell.
    I found this highlight reel of Devante back in his JuCo days, he was a man amongst boys.



Dan Vitale: Best fullback in the draft was the buzz. Jason Licht has used late round picks to try to find his team a lead blocker. Buc fans thought they had their man in the 6th round draft pick from Northwestern. Even though Vitale was an instant fan favorite his lack of blocking ability doomed him in the end.
My Grade: I'm giving Danny a C. Now hear me out. Late round draft picks aren't supposed to make good teams. Also, others must like his skill set because he's been picked from the Bucs practice squad twice. If Vitale was drafted in any earlier rounder his grade would be lower.

     You can follow us at our official Twitter feed @realbucstalk. As always thanks for reading and Go Bucs!

Pass Rush is Just Not There

A good pass rush is essential to playing good defense in this league unless you have an outstanding secondary which the Bucs do not. The Bucs pass rush has struggled as the front four has lost several key defenders to injury. Hopefully Robert Ayers can return for the next game because the Bucs really miss his presence. Gerald McCoy has been dominating but is getting no help from his other line mates which is allowing teams to triple team McCoy. Rookie Noah Spence is just not there yet as his speed rush is just getting pushed past the Qb. William Gholston is a monster vs the run, but struggles to beat his man when it's a pass play. Have not seen anything from Clinton Mcdonald which is not like him as he is usually a good pass rusher.

One positive from yesterday was the rush from Howard Jones who effected some plays and even got a hit on the quaterback. Something has to change though as there has to be a pass rush for this defense to succeed or it's going to struggle to keep teams from scoring 30 points a game. The secondary is just too inconsistent right now to be counted on to just shut down opposing pass offenses without a pass rush. The Bucs need to get creative whether that is through rush games, stunts, or even more blitzing it needs to be better.

Pass Rush Has to Show up

4 sacks in two games is just not going to cut it for this Buccaneers defense as their pass rush must show up for tomorrow's game against the Rams. The Bucs need to get more creative with their rush whether it be more blitzes or using more twists and stunts with the front four. Clinton Mcdonald needs to step up and start getting some penetration to help Gerald McCoy get free. The Bucs will be without Robert Ayers which doesn't help, but guys like Howard Jones, William Gholston, and Noah Spence need to step up and bring some fire off the edge. If it takes McCoy to take out three guys for us to get a sack then they need to do it like they did here in which Spence got his first career sack.

Rookie Noah Spence gets his first NFL sack. pic.twitter.com/i3ktGJfUmG

— Trevor Sikkema (@TrevorSikkema) September 18, 2016

Against the Rams, the Bucs have to get pressure up front on their Qb Case Keenum because if they do he will make mistakes. I would expect to see the Bucs mix up their blitzes with their linebackers and safeties along with moving their D-line around to create mismatches. It's time for this defensive line to take the next step and be a tone setter for this defense tomorrow. They have the ability to dominate and they need to tomorrow if the Bucs want to win this game against the Rams.  Put McCoy and Gholston in the middle with Jones and Spence on the outside and just let them go beat their guy. Keep mixing it up and attack all day and make the Rams offense pay for it.

Cardinals Game Rant *Uncensored

Ok Buc fans its been a couple days since the bucs 40-7 ass whooping by the Cardinals and there needs to be a rant to let out some true feelings.

First and foremost everything will always begin and end with our leader Jameis Winston. I above all may be his biggest fan and supporter but what I saw from him on Sunday was piss poor. So many passes were off target and he is too attached to Mike Evans. Yes, I still loved his passion for the game as he was still competitive and even made a big block on one running play but he's got to show much more than this.

People will say hey, the defense gets paid to stop him too, but to me that straight bullshit. The game is Xs and Os. You find weaknesses and you attack the weakness. What did Winston do the first drive? He attacked their strength, which is Patrick Peterson, possibly the best corner in the NFL and what happened? That's right a beautiful interception that was off target but the Winston faithful said Evans could have fought for the ball. Hell, if the ball is thrown inside Evans can easily box Peterson out for the touchdown. I harped last week to not test Peterson at all costs and to attack any and everyone else but I guess I was wrong. After that play Winston and the bucs looked to just tail spin down and let the crowd get the best of them.

Winston even made 4th year pro Marcus Copper (the other CB) look like a pro bowler by giving him 2 interceptions in one game when he has only had 3 in his career. He threw one right in his chest but again everyone claimed it was Vincent Jackson's fault. Winston is our QB, he's our unquestioned leader, he's the answer to every question of whom will bring us out of this bottom dweller we have been in for so many years. With that said he has to perform better. We should never see a QB rating of 39.2 again, this is not your rookie season Jamies and you need to step up from the shambles you created that day.

Now the Defense.... Chris Conte has forever scared the crap out of me and still does. The man keeps getting lost and getting beat time after time. This defense did so well against the Falcons preventing the deep ball and somehow forgot how to do it a week after. I don't know if they got some sort of entitlement after one damn win but it was pathetic. ABSOLUTELY no pass rush whatsoever and that against an Oline that allowed 3 sacks the week prior against a slower Dline than ours. Credit to Noah Spence for recording his first sack of the year which was the only bright spot of this game. The entire game was nothing but time for Palmer to deliver strikes to whichever receiver he wanted. The Dline needs to step up without question and if they can't those added blitzers better rush the process or you will get burnt deep, espcially when you send a safety.

Enough Bashing of my beloved Bucs. I will forever be a bucs fan but they need to show up and perform. I expect corrections to be made and problems fixed across the board here in Tampa when we play the Rams. Players and coaches alike need to clean up a lot. Start attacking the weaknesses that every team has and stop giving the game away by attacking their strengths. Show up for your home crowd and give us bucs fans something to finally be proud about. In other words, COMPETE. 40-7 is an embarrassment and that should not happen again. I am washing that from my memory and zoning in on the LA Rams, as should every other buccaneer fan.

Akeem Spence Likes The Defense

It seems the Bucs are finally having fun on defense and it shows when interviewing players and seeing how they feel about it. Bucs 4th year defensive tackle Akeem Spence was asked how he felt about the defense and he gave his usual big ear to ear smile before his answer.

I feel great and I think a lot of the guys feel the same way, just with different disguises we got, as much pressure were getting on the quarterbacks now, turnovers and everything were causing and just giving offenses headaches.

Spence went on to describe that having different packages and movements will help give offenses headaches as pretty much they will have to guess what the bucs will be bringing at them. He seemed very confident as well as every other buccaneer defender and its about time to see those smiles again. Later Spence was asked who he though would surprise in this defense and his answer wasn't that surprising.

5.. 7.. Noah Spence! He's going to surprise a lot of people with his never quit attitude to get to the ball.

No big surprise there for avid bucs fans as Spence has been showing the killer first step all through training camp and every preseason game, its just about time the rest of the NFL learns about his name. Someone then asked Spence what about 97? (Akeem Spence's Number). As usual he had a huge smile on his face before his answer.

9.. 7.. Man you know I'm gonna do my thing man, in the run game. You know stop the run and just get ready for another big year.

Confidence is high on the defensive side of the ball and players have fully taken to Coach Mike Smiths scheme and all seem to be liking it. Lets see what this game plan has in store for Atlanta come 9/11.

Freeney/Mathis Combo?

The combination of Jacquies Smith and Noah Spence has looked really good this preseason as you can frequently see both of them flying around the corner getting after the quarterback. There once were 2 shorter speed rushers in Indianapolis that were really a terror for QBs and actually won a super bowl together. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis formed quite a duo in their prime with Indy and the bucs might have the makings of something similar here.

Smith and Spence resemble the duo as they are both 6'2 and weight about 250 lbs which is considered smaller for a defensive end. What made Freeney and Mathis so special were their get offs and ability to get Tackles off their base so that they could manipulate them however they would please. Tampa's duo have been showing that get off and speed off the edge consistently this preseason. Again its preseason but you have to give credit where its due.

Spence is still a rookie and has to learn more pass rush moves to master his craft but he already is showing the makings of being a pure edge rusher. They may or may not be starters come the regular season but you better believe when its 3rd and long those two will be on the field together with ears pinned back ready to fly to the quarterback.

Good Test For the Defense This Week

The Bucs defense has been solid so far in their two preseason games but not perfect as their redzone D needs some work as they have allowed 3 Tds in 3 attempts. This week they go against a good test in the Cleveland Browns who have athleticism across the board at their skilled positions. Starting with the Qb in Robert Griffin who has a big arm and is dangerous on the run, so it will be interesting to see if the Bucs front four can harass him and make him make mistakes. The Browns have plenty of speed with Corey Coleman, Josh Gordon, and Andrew Hawkins. Then they have versatile guys in running backs Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson along with a reliable tight end in Gary Barnidge.

With the defense playing at least the first half we should see a good preview of what this defense is going to bring this season. The Bucs are very athletic on defense and should match up well with the Browns athleticism on offense. Hopefully we can see the pass rush return and play like it did against the Eagles. The secondary was pretty good last week so hopefully they can put a complete game together in which the rush and coverage play well. The Browns will run some spread option along with some zone read with RG3 which will be good for the defense to see as the Panthers do similar things in their offense.

The key matchup I will be watching is Noah Spence against pro bowl left tackle Joe Thomas which will be good work for the rookie. Another matchup will be Hargreaves vs Corey Coleman which will be a great battle of two superior athletes. The main things to watch though is can the defense get off the field on third down and make some stops in the redzone because that will be key in the regular season. Tomorrow will provide some answers but most of all it will be a good matchup and test against the Browns.

Will The Front Four Dominate Again Tonight?

Last week against the Eagles, the Bucs defensive line stood out as they racked up 4 sacks and were applying pressure on the Qb throughout the game. Bucs d-line coach Jay Hayes had the front four humming and the use of the rotation was fun to watch. Robert Ayers and Noah Spence showed flashes of what they can do for this front four this season. Clinton Mcdonald and Howard Jones had big games as well with a sack each and were in the backfield often. The big question though is can the front four do it again tonight against the Jaguars whom have a more potent offense.

The answer is yes, the Bucs D-line has been the best position group throughout this training camp and I expect that to continue tonight. The Bucs finally have a rotation in which they can roll out multiple guys that can be productive and not lose much when the top guys go out. Bucs DE Will Gholston will make his debut tonight which makes this d-line even more stout especially against the run. I think he will show his impact right away and hopefully he can display something as a pass rusher. The key guys tonight will be Noah Spence and Jack Smith whom both should have good games tonight as they have been dominating in the joint practices with the Jaguars this past week. Here is Spence against LT Luke Joeckel via Jenna Laine.

Bucs rookie DE @nspence94 going up against Luke Joeckel one-on-one. Been working on his spin move... #Bucs #Jaguars pic.twitter.com/BFY7CmkEJb

— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) August 18, 2016

Spence still has work to do in the run game as that is his weakness but is already a natural at pass rushing, I expect him and Jack Smith to be disruptive tonight. The Bucs D-Line is becoming a strength of this team and hopefully they can bring the intensity again and pressure the Qb tonight.